Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier will be presiding over a bar admission ceremony in Collinsville today where 86 new attorneys will be sworn in.
Having successfully passed the Illinois State Bar Exam as well as an ethics examination, the new lawyers have been certified by the Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness.
The ceremony will begin with a motion to admit the group, made by Twentieth Judicial Circuit Associate Judge Gene Gross and attorney Patricia Gross of DuQoin. Support for the motion will come from retired St. Clair County Circuit Judge Steve Kernan. Their participation in the ceremony will make it a family affair, as the three have children set to take the oath Thursday.
Once the ceremonial motion has been entered, Karmeier will rule on it and administer the oath to the group. A reception will follow.
First Judicial Circuit Judge Carey Gill of Carterville will be the speaker for the ceremony and will speak on behalf of the Illinois State Bar Association Board. Other guests who will be present include Madison County Associate Judge Jennifer Hightower, Fayette County Circuit Judge Don Sheafor Jr. and Justices David Overstreet and John Barberis from the Fifth District Appellate Court.
Additional bar admission ceremonies will be held in Chicago, Elgin, Ottawa and Springfield for a total of 476 new attorneys in the state. As the largest, Chicago’s class of 327 will have the oath administered during three separate ceremonies throughout the day, to be presided over by Appellate Justice Margaret S. McBride, Justice Charles E. Freeman, Appellate Justice Cynthia Y. Cobbs and Justice Mary Jane Theis.
After the completion of today's ceremonies, the total number of attorneys licensed to practice law in Illinois will sit at about 96,700.